Wire splice



"Jun`5, 1928. 1,671,979

4 w E. cooK WIRE SPLICE Filed NOV. 27. 1925 ATTORNEY Patented June 5, 1928.

PATENT office.

WILLIAM E. COOK, OIE YORK, N. Y.

WIRE f SPLIGE.

f Appiication mea l:mmm 27, 19.25. serial no. 71,529.

vMy invention relates to a wire splice, and more particularly to a. device of this chai'- acter especially adapted for use during `the manufacture of insulated conductor Wires.y

- and a machine for Waxing and polishing the Cil exterior of the Wire.

Vith light conductor Wires which have only a thin covering of insulation, no difficulty has been experienced in connecting the ends of different coils or lengths of Wire, as the end of one length andthe beginning of the succeeding length pass the .compacting die. Such Wires possess sutiicient flexibility to permit the ends of the Wiresto be twisted together and thus secure a ysufliciently strong connection to permit a plurality of lengths tobe passed continuously through the braiding and other machines. The same is true when thebraid is applied toseparate lengths of' light Wire,I and'it is desired to connect these lengths .prior to passing them through the asphaltum or other bath. Vith heavier ivires, however, this manner of forming a splice is not permissibleby reason of thehrigidity ofthe Wire.

'WVhen it is desired to make long lengths of Wire, it is necessary yto make a permanent 'splice by hand welding or swaging the adjoining ends of different lengths of the wire, but this practice is not followed except -ivhen continuous conductors are desired.

The splices commonly used in the installation of Wires, are not suitable for use in making a temporary splice during the production of insulated-Wires, since in the latter instance after the splice 'liasfbeen made, itis necessary kto pass'the Wire through certain vmachines and mechanisms, the operation of which would bei'nterfered with'by suoli splices.`

W Titl'rthe above conditions in mind, I have provided a Wire splice Whi-c'h maybe 4quickly applied L'to the' ends of yheavy conductor wires in manner `to rigidly' connect different lengths of Wires While permitting the continuous 4passage of all lengths through a tubular braiding machine and other mechanisms used in theproduction of Isuch Wires.

The construction of the splice is such that it Will not in ,any Way interfere lWith the mechanisms of the machines through which the Wire `is passed, or with 4the Winding of such Wires upon, or their unWinding from, reels upon which the Wires are accumulated. Its presence in the length of the completed Wire may be readily detected during the final stage in the production vof the Wires so that itm-ay be removed from the Wire prior to the final coiling of the finished lengths of Wire and their shipment. f

The ,construction of the `splice is such that it may be quickly applied to or removed from ythe Wire ends, but will, when in use; so `firmlygrip the Wireas to preclude possibility of fthe separation of the different lengths thereof even when subjected tothose fairly heavy 4loi'igitudinal lstresses to which the Wire is subjected While passing through different machines. f

The invention consistsprimarily in a Wire splice consisting o f a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein and openings through the yopposite ends thereof positioned 'eccentrically of the axis of said chamber, a cylindrical fitting rotatably mounted in said chamber .with its aXis'concentric 'with the axis of said chamber and having circular ksockets'in the opposite ends thereof of substantially the same diameter as the end openings in said casing and having the same .degree ofeccentricity with relation ,to the axis of said chamber as said end openings, and means whereby relative rotative movementinay be imparted to ysaid 'asing and said fitting; and in such other novel characteristics as vare hereinafter set forth and'described, and -more particularly vpointed out inthe claims heretoappended.

.Referringto the drawings, f

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a Wire splice embodyingmy invention showing it attached to-adjacent ends of separate lengths ofconductor Wires;

iF-ig. 2 is an enlarged view of the splice shown in Fig. l andthe adjacent Wireends;

Fig. 3 isl a longitudinal section thereof With the ivire ends vindicated in" dotted lines; and i Fig. 4 is an end .view with the parts in the posit-,ion occupied when a splice ,has been made, the wire ends, however, being omitted. Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. I

In the embodiment of the invention 'shown in the drawings, A indicates a short sectionV of wire adjacent the end of one length or coil, and B indicates a short section of wire adjacent the end of another length or coil, the insulation being broken away to indicate approximately the size of the conductor wire and the thickness of the insulation.

.The splice proper consists of a short cylindrical casing a having therein a bearing chamber, and ends b and c each having therethrough an opening Z2 or c, which openings are eccentric to the axis of said chamber.` Said casing is preferably made of magnetic material.

The casing a has through its wall and intermediate its ends ZJ and c, a slot CZ, and may also be provided `with wrench holes c and c upon the outsidethereof for facilitating the` gripping of the casing by means of a special tool when making the splice. If ordinary gas pliers yare used for holding lthe casing, such opens Vhave no utility.

Rotatably mounted wit-hin `the casing a,

vhaving a fairly close pit with the circular through the slot cl andcarried by'said'fitting f is a stop pin movable in said slot Z for 'limiting the'rctative movement of said litting a-nd serving as a guide to indicate when'the openings Z/ and g, c and 7L are co-axial with each other. r

' The outside diameter ofthe casing' a is approximately the `same as the outside diameter' ofthe wire-lengths connected by means of they splice so as not to interfere with the operation of: th-e braiding machine. The loverall length of the splice shown is approximately two inches, buttlie diameter of'ditlerent splices may vary in order to adapt them to insulated wires having diiii'erent capacities with a resultant vincrease in the thickness of the insulation.,

One end of the casing a is provided with j wire is short length of wire approximating the distance from the inner end of a socket g or L and the thickness of an end b or c, is first stripped of insulation adjacent the end of each length of wire andcleaned. The lit ting 7 is then so turned as to bring the sockets g and L into axial alinement with the end openings Z1 and c respectively. The bare conductor wire at the end of one length Vof insulated wire is then passed through one end opening, as b, and into the adjacent socket g, and the stripped wire at the end of the other length of conductor similarly passed through the end opening' c and into the socket z..

A key is then inserted in the. opening and the casing. a grasped by a suitable tool to hold it against, or to impart thereto, .rotary movement. Force applied tot-his tool is resisted by a counter force applied to the lkey so as to vensure relative `rota-tiveV moveously existing .between theend openingsp Z/ c inthe casing a andthe sockets g-.t in the fitting This results not only in a powerful clamping action upon the wire, but-slight deformation thereof at the bearing point between the ends of the fitting and the inner wall of the ends of the bearing chamber in the casing a, thus firmly holding the two ends of the wire Vin a fixed positionwith relation to each,

other through the medium of the splice.

The purpose of the useA of' a splice cmbodying the invention is to increase the total length of the conductor wire during manufacturing processes so as to permit a con` tinued operation of Certain machines such as the tubular braiding Amachine, the as-v phaltum saturating tank feeding mechanism andthe linal waxing and polishing machine, without regard to` the; commercial lengths of insulated wires. By the use of the splice frequent stoppages of such machinesincidental to the removal of a reel from which covered wire has been completely removed and the substitution of a new reel, is prevented as to the braiding machine and the waxing and polishing machine, and the stoppages of theV asphaltum bath feedingmechanism for the making of frequent ten'iporary splices is also avoided vand at the same time Vthe ditliculties,incidental to the excessive accumulation of 'thel asphaltum composition upon the material used in makingl the splice and the diliiculties of the cleaner through which the wire passes from the bath, are also avoided.

By making the entire splice of magnetic metal, or even the casing a alone of thismaterial, the waxing and polishing machine may be equipped with a magnet which Vwill detect the presence ofthe Isplice and thus indicate to the operator the peint atwhich the covering braid must bel removed for the purposel ot scparafing the ends ot adjacent lengths of Wire;

By making the splice of short length, it will readily conform tothe curvature of the Wire wound upon areel,y particularly s the diameter of the accumulated Wire at any point Where the splice passes to ther rcel vill be sufliciently great to avoid any sharp bending. This approximate conformity of the diameter of the splice to that ofiy the Wire` ivi-ll also facilitate the application of braid upon the splice as it is passing through the braiding machine, and ivill not interfere with the passage ot tlieivire about the grooved Wheels ot the feedingmechanisni of. the asphaltum bath; randibetiveen the polishing units ofthe polishing machine:

The long tapered ends a ivill avoid the presence of an abrupt shoulder.l presented in the direction -of movementof the Wire, ivhenpassing vthrough the scraper associated with the asplialtum bath and the polishingr units of the polishing machine. Exactitude in the diameter of the splice and of the insulation covering for the Wire is not essential, the eccentricity of the end openings b and c naturally resulting in a slightly offset relation between the axis'of the ivire and that of the splice.

A splice as shown in the accompanying drawings has in actual practice been found to give highly satisfactory results in the production of cotton sliver covered insulated conductors, and to effect a saving in the production of such Wires as a result of a continuous operation of the braiding machine until the cord or yarn upon the bobbins is exhausted.

lVhile the cost of producing the splice of the invention is very low, this compared with the savings effected in the production of insulated Wires as a result of lthe use of the splice, is a minor factor.

It is not my invention to limit the invention to the precisedetails of construction shoivn in the accompanying drawings, it being` apparent that such may be varied ivithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as neiv and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A iviresplice consisting of a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein and openings through the opposite ends thereof positioned eccentrically of the axis of said chamber, a cylindrical fitting rotatably mounted in said chamber with its axis concentric with the axis of said chamber and having circular socltets in the opposite ends thereof, of substantially the.

same diameter as the end openings in said casing and. having the saine degree of eceent-ricity With relation to the axis of said chamber as said end openings, and means whereby relative rotative movement vmay be i-niparted to` said casing and said fitting.

2. A Wire splice consisting of a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein,- cpenings through the opposite ends thereof positioned cccentri'callyof the axis of said chamber, and a circumferentially extending slot therethrough intermediate its ends, a cylindrical fitting rotatably mounted in said chamber with its axis concentric ivitli the axis of said chamber and having circular sockets in the opposite ends thereof, of substantially the same diameter as the end openings in said casing and having the saine degree of eccentricity With relation to the axis of said chamber as said end openings, ya stop pincarried by said fitting and movable in said slot, and means whereby relative rotative movement may be imparted to saidcasing and said fitting. I

3. A wire splice consisting of a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein, openings through the opposite ends thereof positioned'eccentricallyl of the axis of said chamber, and a circuinferentially extending slot therethrough intermediate its ends, said casing having exteriorly thereof a long taper on one end thereof and a short taper on the other end thereof, a cylindrical fitting rotatably mounted in said chamber with its axis concentric with the axis of said chamber and having circular sockets in the opposite ends thereof, of substantially the same diameter as the end openings in said casing and having the sameV degree of eccentricity with relation to the axis of said chamber and said end openings, a stop pin carried by said fitting and movable in said slot, and means whereby relative rotative movement may be imparted to said casing and said fitting. v

4. A Wire splice consisting of a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein, openings through the opposite ends thereof positioned ecceiitrically of the axis of said chamberfand a c-ircumferentially extending slot therethrough and intermediate its ends, a cylindrical fitting rotatably7 mounted in said chamber with its axis concentric With the axis of said chamber having circular sockets in the opposite ends thereof, of substantially the saine diameter as the end openings in said casing, and having the same degree of eccentricity with relation to the axis of said chamber as said end openings, and having any opening intermediate said sockets adapted to receive a key to assist in imparting relative move- `ment to said casing and said fitting, and a stop pin carried by said fitting, movable in said slot. y

-5. A wire splice consisting of a short cylindrical casing having a bearing chamber therein, openings through the opposite ends thereof positioned eccentrically of the axis of said chamber, and a circumferentially extending slot therethrough and intermediate its ends, a cylindrical fitting rotatably mounted inisaid chamber with its axis 'con-A atethe slot therein and the openings atthe opposite ends thereof.

6. A Wire splice consisting of ashort eylindrical casing having ay bearing chamber therein, openings through the opposite ends thereof positioned eccentrically of the axis of said chamber, and a circumferentially eX- tending slot therethrough and intermediate its ends, said casing lhaving exteriorly thereof a llong taper on one end thereof and a short taper on the other end thereof, a cylindrical fitting rotatably Imounted in said chamber With its axis concentric with the axis of said chamber having circular sock-.

ets in the opposite ends thereof, of substantially the same diameter as the end openings in lsaid casing, and having the same degree of eccentricity'vvith relation to the aXis of said chamber as said end openings, and iaving an opening intermediate said socketsr adapted to receive a key to assist in imparting relative movement to said casing and said fitting, and a stop pincarried by said fitting, vmovable in said slot, said casing also having openings intermediate the slot therein and the openings at the opposite ends thereof. I

In Witness whereof I have Vhereunto affixed my signature this 16th day of November, 1925.

Y i y WiLLiAM ncoon.` 

